Writer: Craig Blacklock
Time Frame: Five to six lessons.
Released May 2007
Important: Teachers should check the NZQA website for the current Assessment Specifications at each year level.
Geo 1.1: AS90202 Examine Extreme Natural Events and the Human Response
A study of an extreme natural event in New Zealand, selected from earthquakes, landslips, volcanic eruptions, coastal erosion or floods.
Focusing Questions
- What is an extreme natural event?
- What processes produce the extreme natural event? How often does the extreme natural event occur?
- What sequence of events occurs in the extreme natural event?
- What physical changes to the land does the extreme natural event produce?
- How does the extreme natural event affect people?
- How can people increase or decrease the likelihood or effects of the extreme natural event?
Geo 2.1: AS90331 Explain a Natural Landscape
This common topic draws attention to variations in natural processes and landscapes, and involves a general treatment of landform development and evolution.
Focusing Questions
- What are the elements that make up a natural landscape?
- Why do natural landscapes vary from place to place? In what ways do particular processes give rise to particular landforms? In what ways do particular climates give rise to particular natural landscapes?
- How do natural landscapes evolve through time?
- In what ways does human activity affect natural landscapes?
Geo 3.1: AS90701 Analyse a Geographic Environment
A study of a geographic environment in New Zealand focusing upon interacting natural processes.
Focusing Questions
- What are the elements and interaction involved in each process?
- Why are local spatial variations found in these processes?
- How have these processes affected the distribution of the phenomena in this particular environment?
- How does each process operate within this setting?
- How do the processes illustrate interaction among natural phenomena?
- To what extent have these natural processes been modified by human action?
Outline
This unit has been developed with the purpose of providing a suggested framework for covering course content with particular emphasis on using the New Zealand Film Archive’s DVDs. The lesson structure is intended as a guideline only. Teachers should tailor their lessons to their students and use their own established resources in conjunction with this DVD during these lessons.
- Lesson 1: New Zealand’s Geological History
- Lesson 2: New Zealand - A Dynamic Landscape
- Lesson 3: The Tongariro Volcanic Centre
- Lesson 4: Volcanoes & Human Activity
- Lesson 5: Raoul Island – A Recent Volcanic Event
Resources
Themes
While teachers will be tailoring their lessons around their chosen achievement standard, there are four broad geographic themes common to all levels that can be studied in greater or lesser depth:
- What are the processes that formed the volcanoes?
- What are the processes that have since modified the volcanoes?
- What are the patterns that can be seen in the volcanic environment?
- How have people interacted with, modified and used the volcanic environments?
Key Content
This unit was devised to offer teachers a framework for using the New Zealand Film Archive’s DVDs. It also assumes the teacher will have access to supporting materials and other resources such as text books, the internet or guest speakers for example. Ideally, a field work component would also support student learning in this unit.
Relevant Film Archive Footage
This is really the heart of the unit. It is intended to act as a guide for the classroom teacher, indicating relevant footage on the DVDs that could be used in the classroom to illustrate a point or create a discussion or debate. There are a number of suggested discussion starters for teachers to use.
Assessment Options
A formative essay based assessment task suitable for NCEA Levels 1, 2 or 3.
Useful Links
GNS (Geological and Nuclear Sciences)
Quake Trackers
Geo Net
Te Ara - The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand
Any Questions
LearnNZ Website
Sources of Information
Anderson, L. 1995 Tongariro: A Volcanic Environment,
Longman Paul Ltd: Auckland.
1996 Natural Processes: Volcanism. Form Seven (Year 13) Student Notes,
Longman: Auckland.
LearnNZ Website:
Ministry of Education 1990 Syllabus for Schools: Geography Forms 5-7,
Learning Media: Wellington.
NZQA Website
